Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-29
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE. LAW.
How the Interests of thi City are Affected
Latter from Col A. II. Maller.

Letter from Col. A. #. Walker.
The interstate commerce law has now
been in force over two weeks, and many
of the business men of Burlington are I'M
stinted in their condemnation of it. Be
cause of its taking effect 50 soon after its
passage, none of the railroads were able
to comply literally with the provisions
April s. and none of the larger roads is
yet prepared.
The business of those who are depend
ent upon a market outside of Burlington
has suffered severely the past few days,
owing to the fact that they are unable to
obtain shipping rates except in few in
stances for their goods, and consumers
will not buy unless they know what their
freights are to be.
The law, as at present construed by the
railroad corporations, is looked upon rs one
favoring the roads Mt the expense of their
customers. Rates that have been given
are in most cases higher than those in
force prior to April 8, and in some cases
are practically prohibitory. The Baldwin
Manufacturing company have at n great
expense built up Il good trade for their
goods on the Pacific coast, but now the
tariff is five times what it has been, N
many cases the freight charges exceeding
I0e Invoice price Vi bne refrigerator
this is practically a prOhibitory charge.
The same company have procured rates to
points reached by the National Despatch
line, which are about the same as those pre-
vionsly in force, but there are others to
which it is impossible to ship I'M elli-
gently, especially in the States of New
York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Their
business this year would have been ma
terially injured had they not received per-
mission from the consignees to largely
increase their orders prior to April D.,
when the old rates were in force.
Business men generally are looking for
a suspension of the long and short haul
clause of the bill. Relief must come and
come soon or the business of many
corporations will be seriously injured.
One of the largest manufacturing estab-
lishmeuts in the city, depending entirely
upon Western trade have made scarcely
any shipments for the past two weeks,
and will be unable to do so until favorable
rates are procured. In the present con
dition OF affairs it requires great amount
of time to search for the cheapest routes to
certain points. For instance One of the
prominent corporations of this city wished
to ship to points in Connecticut They
had rates to New York via the Hudson
River road. BY inquiry of several roads
in New York reaching the territory de
sired, they procured rates nearly one-third
less than the rate via Springfield, the most
QlrecU route.
Inquiries of railroads not in harmony
with our local lines receive evasve
answers or references to home roads.
The commission have no power tC
suspend the operation of the law
except on petition of a railroad corpora
ton, and this they are not going to do un
less ii is for their interest. a few days
since application was made to Commits
sioner Walker for relief from excessive
freight charges to section of the coun
try which were practically prohibitory
and the following answer was received;
THE lNTER-S STATE COMMERCE COMMISSION,
WASHINGTON. ID. c., April Ii, 1887. I
Gentlemen: Yours of the 14th received
An examination of the law will show thai
our commits ion has no power to give suct
relief as you suggest except on Application OF
some railroad company for the suspension o.
Section 4. Yours truly.
ALDACE +. WALKER.
On inquiry it is learned that rates tC
Boston have been increased from 40 to A.
cents per 100 pounds to New York from
35 to 10 ceuts and to Plttsburg, Pa, from
43 cents to Sl.04. The rate to Albany \
Y, is 40 cents, but West from that poin
for some distance no rates are as yet OBJ
tainabe. Rates to Chicago have been re
duced from % to 81 cents and rates ar
not oGtainable beyond except i'll Iowa ant
Arkansas.